A few corrections/clarifications: The highwheel bikes were not called "Ordinary" until the newer Safety bikes had become available, although the term was at least in use for a few years before production of highwheels had stopped. The name "Penny farthing", as far as all research has shown, was not used (at least in print; nobody can prove or disprove what people might have spoken informally) until after the highwheel was out of production for some time. The name "penny-farthing" or its variations, was a pre-existing British term, around for something like a couple centuries if I recall correctly, before the highwheel came on the scene, to refer to anything that had become worthless/devalued due to passage of time, with the nearly worthless 'penny' and 'farthing' coins being the reason for the name being coined. When people assert that the term came from the similarity in sizes of the highwheel's wheels to the diameters of the two old coins, they are repeating an unsubstantiated (essentially disproven) false-history. A lot of people like to say that highwheel bikes are "hard to ride", yet anyone who has actually ridden one knows that this is nonsensical. It is just lazy speech without thought behind it. The actual 'riding' is as easy, some would say a bit easier, then any modern bike, in regard to balancing and control of the machine. Aspects that ARE somewhat difficult: There is a bit of easily and quickly overcome 'difficulty' in the mounting and dismounting procedure. They are not much fun to ride into the wind, and there is nothing that can be done to make them more 'aerodynamic' in that regard. Since they are 'fixies', and cannot be shifted to a lower gear, they require a lot of leg muscle and rider determination to ride up any significant slope. With little or no effective braking system, extra skill and precautions need to be applied when going down slopes, especially long or steep hills. The rider must always try and keep positive torque on the big wheel, except when coasting, to reduce the threat of taking a sudden "header". Extra caution and experience is required when riding in congested areas, in crowds, etc. Crossed/interlaced spokes make the bike heavier, make the front wheel stiffer and thus a bit less springy, so the wheel is not quite as good at absorbing shocks from the road surface. On the other hand, simple radially laced spokes make the wheel susceptible to 'potato chipping', where when an object is hit, or the bike crashes, the front wheel assumes the shape of a Pringles potato chip. An interlaced wheel is not at risk for doing this. Tying the spokes of an interlaced wheel wherever they cross makes the wheel less likely to suffer spoke breakage; metal fatigue in the spokes comes from them oscillating like a plucked violin string, and tying them at their crossings makes them effectively like a set of much shorter strings, unlikely to oscillate very much.
A very good amatuer video. It's a shame you only concentrated on the "Ordinary" & Velocipede". It would have been nice to see other machines...that have helped with the development of the bicycle.. Are you a member of any cycle clubs?, or simply a vintage bike entusiast?.
Hello murray mad dog, you can get a front wheel from mesicek this is the guy where i got mine from, if you email him you will find he will be most helpfull, type his name on google
A few corrections/clarifications:
The highwheel bikes were not called "Ordinary" until the newer Safety bikes had become available, although the term was at least in use for a few years before production of highwheels had stopped. The name "Penny farthing", as far as all research has shown, was not used (at least in print; nobody can prove or disprove what people might have spoken informally) until after the highwheel was out of production for some time. The name "penny-farthing" or its variations, was a pre-existing British term, around for something like a couple centuries if I recall correctly, before the highwheel came on the scene, to refer to anything that had become worthless/devalued due to passage of time, with the nearly worthless 'penny' and 'farthing' coins being the reason for the name being coined. When people assert that the term came from the similarity in sizes of the highwheel's wheels to the diameters of the two old coins, they are repeating an unsubstantiated (essentially disproven) false-history.
A lot of people like to say that highwheel bikes are "hard to ride", yet anyone who has actually ridden one knows that this is nonsensical. It is just lazy speech without thought behind it. The actual 'riding' is as easy, some would say a bit easier, then any modern bike, in regard to balancing and control of the machine. Aspects that ARE somewhat difficult: There is a bit of easily and quickly overcome 'difficulty' in the mounting and dismounting procedure. They are not much fun to ride into the wind, and there is nothing that can be done to make them more 'aerodynamic' in that regard. Since they are 'fixies', and cannot be shifted to a lower gear, they require a lot of leg muscle and rider determination to ride up any significant slope. With little or no effective braking system, extra skill and precautions need to be applied when going down slopes, especially long or steep hills. The rider must always try and keep positive torque on the big wheel, except when coasting, to reduce the threat of taking a sudden "header". Extra caution and experience is required when riding in congested areas, in crowds, etc.
Crossed/interlaced spokes make the bike heavier, make the front wheel stiffer and thus a bit less springy, so the wheel is not quite as good at absorbing shocks from the road surface. On the other hand, simple radially laced spokes make the wheel susceptible to 'potato chipping', where when an object is hit, or the bike crashes, the front wheel assumes the shape of a Pringles potato chip. An interlaced wheel is not at risk for doing this. Tying the spokes of an interlaced wheel wherever they cross makes the wheel less likely to suffer spoke breakage; metal fatigue in the spokes comes from them oscillating like a plucked violin string, and tying them at their crossings makes them effectively like a set of much shorter strings, unlikely to oscillate very much.
Great video. Congratulations from Spain
yes this was my first attempt of making a film, mistakes were bound to be made, also notice my non £1500 camera, its clearly an amateur video
A very good amatuer video. It's a shame you only concentrated on the "Ordinary" & Velocipede". It would have been nice to see other machines...that have helped with the development of the bicycle.. Are you a member of any cycle clubs?, or simply a vintage bike entusiast?.
not sure if it is my sound or the video but can't hear much... (gotta get me some ear phones and a translator)
Truck drives by and honks, you don't reshoot the scene. WTF?
where can you get a front wheel from ???
with the penny farthing if you needed to make a tight turn could you just throw your legs be hind the front wheel so long as you do it quick enough ?
yes
Apparently, this video was made before the invention of the microphone.
great were part 2
Invenção que causa emoção,nas pessoas de todas ás idades.
bad sound quality... nice vid
The ones with small front wheels are better because people fell on their nose with the big frontie lol
yeah i spent all my money on the bike rather than a good camera
Hello murray mad dog, you can get a front wheel from mesicek this is the guy where i got mine from, if you email him you will find he will be most helpfull, type his name on google
who makes a documentary so hard to hear ??????????????????????